Did Microsoft Threaten with Lawsuits?

Dr. Roy Schestowitz

2007-06-14 07:50:35 UTC
Modified: 2007-06-14 07:50:35 UTC

As we mentioned a couple of times in the past, not only does Microsoft collect royalties from Linux sales, but it also secretly extracts money from companies that use Free software.

I have just been told by a reliable source that one thing which had escaped the media is the fact that Microsoft quietly threatens with lawsuits. Could this explain the spineless (and self contradictory) acts of Linspire and Xandros? I am still looking for a reliable concrete reference that I can cite, but to anonymous quote the message which I received:

The one thing that is blindingly obvious to me about the Microsoft threats of patent lawsuits has gone all but unnoticed in the main stream media.

If is it true that Microsoft holds patents on the Linux OS that it can use to force compliance from Linux distros, then wouldn't that mean that Microsoft is truly a monopoly where operating systems are concerned?

If it is truly a monopoly, we should again look into breaking up the company like the government wanted to do back in the 90's.

I will update this entry if/when I have more information.

Comments

gpl1

2007-06-14 07:59:57

If so, then Google's antitrust complaint is very, very timely and could motivate the state AGs to actually do something (since the DoJ is a hopeless cause with this administration). United States v. Microsoft concerned itself with around 12 different monopolistic tactics IIRC, not just Netscape.
Roy Schestowitz

2007-06-14 08:46:04

I am waiting for a response and I am hoping to provide further and concrete evidence that I can then put on Groklaw's News Picks. I am aware of some stories of this kind, but I wish to see if coming from the horse's mouth. Notice, for example, how Jeremy Allison's words turned out to be truthful only months later, thanks a Microsoft executive that wanted to amplify FUD level (perhaps it was a slip of the tongue). Why does the media miss that? Suspiciously selective...
shane

2007-06-14 13:41:39

Something caused a serious change of heart at Linspire, that's for sure: Matthew Aslett has a great piece pointing out Carmony's apparent about-face, and I wonder how chummy things will be with Free/Linspire and Ubuntu/Canonical now.

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